The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) is calling for the industry to get involved with Quality Plumber Week , running between 5 and 11 October, to debate what direction the heating market should take in the future in terms of alternative heating technologies and what this will mean for installers.
A number of commitments made by Government means that the heating industry is going to undergo considerable change which will have direct consequences for types of heating technologies heating engineers install. CEO of APHC, John Thompson commented: “The UK has set in law a target to bring all its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 and as part of the Government’s journey to this 2050 target they have committed to introducing the Future Homes Standard in 2025. The Future Homes Standard will see changes to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations for new dwellings to ensure that by 2025 all new build homes will feature low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency. This means that the majority of installers and engineers are going to have to re-train and ultimately change the way they operate as a business.”
APHC has partnered with Travis Perkins to host four online workshops during Quality Plumber Week. Travis Perkins will provide insight on current sales trends in England and Wales for alternative heat technologies and their views on how the heating industry is currently developing. APHC will provide an overview of what direction the heating market is most likely to take in the future in terms of alternative heating technologies and what this will mean for installers regarding developing their knowledge and skills.
The online workshops will also provide opportunity for plumbing and heating contractors to have their say. “We want to hear from installers. The online workshop will provide opportunities for installers to share their thoughts, opinions and views on how the heating market needs to develop in terms of what alternative heat technologies should be at the forefront of Government strategy. We also want to understand what support installers feel they need from Government to help them and the industry move to alternative heating technologies”, said John Thompson.
APHC will then compile and feed the views of installers directly into Government.
Due to differences with the Welsh Parliament and UK Parliament, APHC is hosting separate webinars for plumbing and heating contractors based in Wales or England. The same online workshop is being hosted on:
Wales Online Workshop
Thursday 8 October 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.
England Online Workshop
Friday 9 October 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.
To book a place, readers can email marketing@aphc.co.uk.
In addition to the online workshops, APHC wants to celebrate the important work that plumbing and heating contractors carryout each day. Installers can get involved on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn by posting photos of their work using the hashtag #QPW20. APHC will be giving away spot prizes for the best photos.
Industry suppliers and manufacturers can also get involved: “As a way of recognising the important work undertaken by the thousands of professionals within our industry, suppliers and manufacturers can pledge their support through social media, plus they can run their own campaigns around Quality Plumber Week”, added John Thompson. Interested companies can contact marketing@aphc.co.uk for information on how to get involved.
Further information is available at www.QualityPlumberWeek.co.uk.
